Rise of the Scarlet Sword
by lanamere
Summary: It's been 6 years since the death of Jason Todd, former thief Red X, and the second Robin, at the hands of Joker. Now, his sister and old partner, Allison Todd, has given up her thieving ways, and become a vigilante, set on avenging her lost younger brother. When BatMan finds her and takes her in, can this scarred young girl find her strength and step into the light? T for cussing
1. Prologue

**I watched Batman: Under the Red Hood this weekend and thought of this story. I know I'm overdue for posting on Back to School, butinspiration is a bit dry on that one, but school is driving me nuts so maybe I'll get something from that. In the meantime I give you...another story! Enjoy! -lanamere**

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**Prologue  
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_I run as fast as I can towards the warehouse. I have to get there! I have to! BatMan won't make it in time! I have to save him! Every instinct to avoid BatMan goes out the window. I have to get to him! I have to save Jason! I have to save my brother! Even though things hadn't been right between us ever since he left me to join BatMan and become the new Robin and I refused to come (in fact we hadn't spoken at all), I have to save him! I know that The Joker, BatMan's sick, twisted arch nemesis, has him trapped and chained up in there, beating him senseless to a bloody pulp as I run. I see the warehouse now. I just might make it. I push myself to run faster. Just as I'm about to reach it, the building explodes. With Jason still inside. "No!" I scream. _

I wake up screaming. My eyes fly open and I gasp, sitting bolt upright. I'm sweaty and tangled in my sheets. I'm breathing heavily. I squeeze my eyes shut to keep the tears in. I've been having that same dream for a month now. Every night. log lance at the clock that I stole a while ago beside my bed. 11:37 PM. I sigh abedlam back. The night's barely even started! I curl up. That dream has been haunting me for a month now. Ever since the murder. Ever since my mistake, my failure. Ever since that awful night when Jason Todd was beaten half to death in a warehouse by the Joker and then was killed in an explosion. Ever since I failed to save my little brother. I glance around the room in the abandoned warehouse the two of us had called home before he became Robin. There, I see his old Red X mask, pictures of us together, and my own mask and costume. I sigh. I hadn't put it on in a month. Scarlet Sword was on hold, hidden away. Now, only her hidden identity showed. Now I was just Allison Todd, homeless orphan, master thief, criminal, and mourning sister. They are all part of me. But right now, I feel like a homeless orphan, mourning her last family. Not the strength and security of Scarlet Sword's thieving skills. Now I am just a girl. Now I am alone.

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**Love it? Hate it? Tell me what you think! But please no flames! I hope you enjoyed it! Peace Out! -lanamere **


	2. Prologue Part 2

**Ok I just found out my Hunger Games fic has been removed, so I'm kinda pissed at the moment. But, since I am NOT starting all over with that (sorry to all the loyal readers who read it) that means faster updates for this and my others, so be happy! XD Anyways, here's Prologue Part 2. Enjoy! =) **

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**Prologue Part 2 **

I watch the building from a ledge. BatMan just dragged Joker out of there. Jason wasn't with him. I scour the rubble for any signs of him. I'd been hearing all the stuff about Red Hood recently, and I knew it was him. From everything I heard, it matched up perfectly. I hadn't gotten to approach him but I just knew it was my little brother, somehow back from the dead. I tailed BatMan, hoping for leads. I bugged him without him ever knowing it, and found about how Ra's al Ghul had brought him back to life through the Lazarus Pit. I watched Red Hood, by now knowing it was Jason, waiting, hoping for a chance to talk to him alone. I watched the rooftop fight, and then waited from here when they went into that building. When it exploded, it was as if it was repeating that awfuldinghy do long ago when I lost my little brother the first time. Then I saw someone moving among the rubble and BatMan stood up. I saw him find Joker and drag him out, no doubt back to Arkham. Often I wish he would just kill him already. The sick insane villain deserves it. But his moral code won't allow for it. I watch the ruins of the building for a few more minutes, searching desperately for any signs of life. Then, after BatMan has gone, well on his way back to Arkham, I see a large piece of rubble move, and it is pushed to the side from underneath. Jason stands up. I breathe a sigh of relief. I watch him run off quickly, disappearing. There's still a chance. I could have him back.

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**Hope you liked it! Read and Review please! Peace Out! -lanamere**


	3. Chapter 1

**The muses are really speaking to me right now! Here's Chapter 1! Hope you enjoy! =)**

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**Chapter 1**

I watch from a rooftop next to Star Labs. I had heard through the police radio that there was a silent alarm was tripped. I wait for a minute. I'm not disappointed. An explosion blows a small hole in the roof, a guy in stolen experimental armor climbs out. I jump down from ledge to ledge onto the roof of Star Labs, chasing after him. He runs along the roof, jumping from building to building. I run after him, copying him move for move. He makes his way down into the actual labratory, with me right behind him. Someone drops down behind me. I stop, and stand up, turning around. There before me is the Masked Crusader himself. The Dark Knight. Batman. His old sidekick, the first Robin, Nightwing, drops down beside him. The two people I really didn't want to see.

"Need a hand?" Batman asks.

"No." I snap at them. "This is easy. Go stop the Joker or something."

Nightwing narrowed his eyes. "Joker is in Arkham, locked up under maximum security. He won't be causing trouble anytime soon."

"Whatever. Go find your own criminal. I'm handling this one." I snap. I turn away and run after the guy.

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**Batman**

I watch the girl run after the robber. She's stubborn. Feisty. And seems very familiar. But I know for a fact that I'd remember meeting a vigilante like her. When I first saw her I thought at first it was Jason, before I noticed the long ponytail coming out the back of her mask, and the color was slightly different, a more scarlet red rather than a cherry red. The helmet is more shaped, less rounded. She has a similar outfit but doesn't seem as vicious. Dick starts to run after her, but I put my arm out to stop him. "Wait. Let's see what she can do." He grunts in response, displeased, but obeys. This girl...she has potential. I'd like to see her abilities, see if she is worth having an alliance of some kind with. I follow her, and Dick follows me. _Let's see what she's made of... __  
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**Scarlet Sword**

I chase after him, dodging the various bullets, grenades and other weapons he aims to hit me with. I can hear Batman and Nightwing following, but so far they've made no move to interfere. _Good. I don't want to work with them on this. _But it still makes me wary of why they're following. I kick up the pace a notch and the robber matches me. I smile to myself. _Easy. _I could have taken him out before he even made it out of Star Labs, but there's no fun in that. I need to let him see me, and let him talk so I can make a name for myself. Scare tactics. Exactly what Batman does. I scowl at the thought of being the same as The Dark Knight, and pick up the pace, aware of them following behind me. I still don't like them. But I push the thought out of my head, and keep going, gaining on the thief.

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**Nightwing **

I chase after Bats and the girl. She's got an attitude problem that I don't like. She didn't seem too thrilled to see us, but she didn't have to be disrespectful. But Batman ordered me to let her handle this and much to my dismay I'm willing to let the girl crash and burn and then intervene. And if she succeeds, goody, kudos to her. It won't improve how I think of her. She could use an ego check though,zander a nice, healthy dosage of respect. She...seems kind of familiar though, and there's a slight ache in my heart. I don't bother thinking about it too much though. _Jason. _She looks like Jason. The whole getup, her attitude. That must be it. She's reminding me of Jason. A heavyness settles over me. I shake my head quickly to clear it. _No. Stop it Dick. Jay...your brother is gone. He's dead and isn't coming back. You've paid your respects and it's time to move on. Jason made his choices and he moved on so you've got to keep going too. _The heaviness vanishes, though the ache remains. I chase after the girl, but my mind and heart stays on Jason.

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**Scarlet Sword **

_Zzzzap! _I duck snd bring my arms up as a small expolosion propels him forward a bit. A knife into the control board snd exposed circuitry in the back took out most of his systems. He manages to catch himself snd keep running. I pick up the pace a little, veering out and urging the thief towards a certain dead-end alley nearby as the chase moves back onto the streets. I gain on him a bit and he moves even faster. I smirk. _Perfect. _The idiot falls for it, and soon finds himself at a blank brick wall, no way out, no way of escape. Trapped. I smirk to myself, though he can't see it through my helmet.

"Well well. Looks like you've gone ahead and cornered yourself for me. How generous. But by saving me some trouble, it won't save you from the cops if that's what you're hoping." I say, smirk still in place. He whirls around, trying to put up one last fight, but by the time he has a gun out, and ready, I'm waiting for him. _Two steps ahead. _I dodge the bullets he desperately sends out and throw a shuriken, or ninja star, to knock the gun out of his hands. "Oh please, don't even bother with a gun." I ram into him and pull the helmet of his armor off. He struggles but I kick him in the crotch and pin him against the wall. "Don't fight. Things will get messy. You do _not _want that to happen. Trust me." He gulps, shaking.

"Wh-what are you gonna do with me?" I roll my eyes. _Pitiful. _

"I'm going to leave you for the cops of course." I punch him in the jaw, and catch his head as he starts to collapse. "And by the way, tell the cops...Scarlet Sword was here." I say, before banging his head against the hard metal of my helmet. He passes out cold. _Easy. _Soon he's tied up and ready for police custody. I stand up, ready to be on my way. Batman and Nightwing come up behind me. I tense and turn to face them, glaring.

"That was impressive. To say the least you handled it well." Batman says. I see Nightwing scowling, and resist the urge to smirk.

"That's simple. Not really that impressive." I say, shrugging.

"Have you had training?"

"No, I did all that on the spot with no training, whatsoever." I say sarcastically. Nightwing frowns, though Batman is undeterred. _Damn. Not even a slight look of disapproval. This guy's good. _He tosses me something. A small bat-shaped earpiece.

"We'll be in contact with that. At some point I'd like to meet and have a discussion privately, off the streets sometime." I snort.

"Whatever. Don't count on me agreeing to becoming your next protégé if that's what your thinking." I grumble, but stuff it in a jacket pocket anyways. The sound of sirens is getting louder, and the police are almost here. I have no intention of being here when they arrive. Apparently neither does Batman. He nods curtly before disappearing off to who knows where. Nightwing shoots me one last glare, which I all too happily return, before following. I use my knife to scale a wall and get up to a fire escape, arriving on the rooftops just as the cops arrive. I watch them take the blubbering criminal before turning and heading for home, disappearing into the night.

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**Hope you like it! Review please! Don't be lazy, it's right there! Peace out! -lanamere**


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